The
Holy Eucharist
Advent IV – Love
Dec. 21, 2025 @ 10:00 a.m.
St. Paul’s Parish
Prelude:
The Gathering of the Community
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit,
be with you all.
And also with you.
123 One in Royal David’s City
Confession and Absolution
Shepherd of Israel, may Jesus, Emmanuel and son of Mary, be more than just a dream in our hearts. With the apostles, prophets, and saints, save us, restore us, and lead us in the way of love, grace and peace, that we may bear your promise into the world. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.
Heavenly Father,
you exalted the humble and meek:
give us humble and contrite hearts.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord Jesus,
you grew towards birth in the Virgin’s womb:
be planted also in our hearts and lives.
Christ, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Holy Spirit,
you overshadowed Mary,
that she might become the God-bearer:
fill us with your heavenly gifts.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
This absolution,
Almighty God, who in Jesus Christ has given us a kingdom that cannot be destroyed, forgive us our sins, open our eyes to God’s truth, strengthen us to do God’s will and give us the joy of his kingdom, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Candle 1, 2, 3 & 4 Love
98 Hark the Glad Sound! The Saviour Comes (all)
The Collect of the Day
Let us pray,
Heavenly Father, who chose the Virgin Mary, full of grace, to be the mother of our Lord and Saviour, now fill us with your grace, that we in all things may embrace your will and with her rejoice in your salvation; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The Proclamation of the Word
First Reading: Romans 1:1-7
Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures, the gospel concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for the sake of his name, including yourselves who are called to belong to Jesus Christ, To all God's beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
For the Word of God in scripture, among us and with us.
Thanks be to God.
Psalm 80:1-7, 16-18
Hear, O Shepherd of Israel, leading Joseph like a flock; shine forth, you that are enthroned upon the cherubim. In the presence of Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, stir up your strength and come to help us. Restore us, O God of hosts; show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.
Show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.
O Lord God of hosts, how long will you be angered despite the prayers of your people? You have fed them with the bread of tears; you have given them bowls of tears to drink.
Show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.
You have made us the derision of our neighbours, and our enemies laugh us to scorn. Restore us, O God of hosts; show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.
Show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.
Let your hand be upon the man of your right hand, the son of man you have made so strong for yourself. And so will we never turn away from you; give us life, that we may call upon your name. Restore us, O Lord God of hosts; show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.
Show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.
The Gospel:
Matthew 1:18-25
And also with you.
The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew.
Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." All this took place to fulfil what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: "Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel," which means, "God is with us." When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.
The Gospel of Christ.
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Sermon
117 Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming
The Prayers of the People
In this Season of Advent, we pray for ourselves and the world, placing before you our hope, confident in your peace, mindful of your joy, basking in your love, saying, hear our prayer.
We are watchful
at all times, we pray for strength to stand with confidence before you, O God,
our Maker and Redeemer. Give us hope to live in the light of your coming and
give us a longing for your realm of justice and mercy. God
of love:
We pray that you will establish among the nations your rule of righteousness, come to the world and the church with peace. We pray for Shane our Primate, Sandra our Bishop. We pray for an end to racial discrimination, an end to gender-based violence, and for truth and reconciliation with Indigenous people. God of love:
We pray that we may seek Christ in holy scriptures, know him in the breaking of bread, and recognize him in one another. Break into our lives, where we struggle with sickness and pain, and set us free to serve you forever. God of love:
We pray that all of us know that we are worthy of love and care and that no one deserves to live in fear or violence. May we work to dismantle the systems of power, control, and oppression that teach that some are worth less because of gender, race, age, or ability. May all people live with dignity. God of love:
Hear our prayer.
We strive for justice and peace. We give thanks for first responders and shelter workers and counsellors; for doctors, nurses, and healthcare workers; for employees in the justice system; and for faith leaders and others, that they will be nurtured in their communities and that they will be kept well and safe. God of love:
Hear our prayer.
We pray for those in any distress from floods, drought, fire, earthquakes and war. We pray for those in need as we approach the Christmas season, especially for our outreach efforts. God of love:
We pray that you will bind up the broken-hearted and restore the sick. We pray for those we know who are ill at home or in the hospital, remembering especially…
… and others we may name out loud, or in our hearts…
-
God of love:
Hear our prayer.
We remember those who have died in your peace and whose faith is known to you alone, especially…
-
…and be with and strengthen those who mourn that, with all the saints in light, we may shine forth as lights for the world, God of love:
Almighty God, as your blessed Son Jesus Christ first came to seek and to save the lost; so may he come again to find in us the completion of his redeeming work; for he is now alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen.
The Peace
The peace of the Lord be always with you.
And also with you.
Announcements
128 The
Virgin Mary Had a Baby Boy
The Celebration of the Eucharist
The Prayer over the Gifts
Let us pray,
Gracious God, by the power of the Spirit who sanctified the mother of your Son, make holy all we offer you this day. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen.
Prayer G
(from CofE Common Worship)
and also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give thanks and praise.
Blessed are you, Lord God, our light
and our salvation; to you be glory and praise for ever. From the beginning you
have created all things and all your works echo the silent music of your
praise. In the fullness of time you made us in your image, the crown of all
creation.
You give us breath and speech, that
with angels and archangels and all the powers of heaven we may find a voice to
sing your praise:
Holy, holy, holy Lord,
God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
How wonderful the work of your hands,
O Lord. As a mother tenderly gathers her children, you embraced a people as
your own. When they turned away and rebelled your love remained steadfast. From
them you raised up Jesus our Saviour, born of Mary, to be the living bread, in
whom all our hungers are satisfied. He offered his life for sinners, and with a
love stronger than death he opened wide his arms on the cross.
On the night before he died, he came
to supper with his friends and, taking bread, he gave you thanks. He broke it
and gave it to them, saying: Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you;
do this in remembrance of me.
At the end of supper, taking the cup
of wine, he gave you thanks, and said: Drink this, all of you; this is my blood
of the new covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of
sins. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.
Great is the mystery of faith:
Christ has died:
Christ is risen:
Christ will come again.
Father, we plead with confidence his
sacrifice made once for all upon the cross; we remember his dying and rising in
glory, and we rejoice that he intercedes for us at your right hand. Pour out
your Holy Spirit as we bring before you these gifts of your creation; may they
be for us the body and blood of your dear Son.
As we eat and drink these holy things
in your presence, form us in the likeness of Christ, and build us into a living
temple to your glory.
Bring us at the last with all the
saints to the vision of that eternal splendour for which you have created us; through
Jesus Christ, our Lord, by whom, with whom, and in whom, with all who stand
before you in earth and heaven, we worship you, Father almighty, in songs of
everlasting praise:
Blessing and honour and glory and power
be yours for ever and ever. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
As our Saviour taught us, let us pray,
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial, and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and for ever. Amen.
The Breaking of the Bread
God of promise,
you prepare a banquet for us in your kingdom.
Happy are those who are called
to the supper of the Lamb.
The gifts of God for the People of God.
Thanks be to God.
Lamb
of God
Lamb of God you take away the sin of the world
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God you take away the sin of the world
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God you take away the sin of the world
grant us your peace.
Communion
PB 43 Commune With Me
PB 227 Such Love
Sending forth of the Community
PB 227 Such Love (vs. 2)
Prayer after Communion
Let us pray,
Faithful God, in this sacrament we receive the promise of salvation. May we, like the Virgin Mary, be obedient to your will. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen.
The
doxology
Glory to God,
whose power, working in us,
can do infinitely more
than we can ask or imagine.
Glory to God from generation to generation,
in the Church and in Christ Jesus,
for ever and ever. Amen.
Blessing
Be steadfast in faith, joyful in hope,
and untiring in love all the days of your life;
and the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among you and remain with you always. Amen.
486
Love Divine, All Loves Excelling
The
Scattering
Go forth into the world,
rejoicing in the Love of God the Creator.
Thanks be to God.
Advent IV – Love
Dec. 21, 2025 @ 10:00 a.m.
St. Paul’s Parish
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit,
be with you all.
And also with you.
Shepherd of Israel, may Jesus, Emmanuel and son of Mary, be more than just a dream in our hearts. With the apostles, prophets, and saints, save us, restore us, and lead us in the way of love, grace and peace, that we may bear your promise into the world. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.
you exalted the humble and meek:
give us humble and contrite hearts.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord Jesus,
you grew towards birth in the Virgin’s womb:
be planted also in our hearts and lives.
Christ, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Holy Spirit,
you overshadowed Mary,
that she might become the God-bearer:
fill us with your heavenly gifts.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Almighty God, who in Jesus Christ has given us a kingdom that cannot be destroyed, forgive us our sins, open our eyes to God’s truth, strengthen us to do God’s will and give us the joy of his kingdom, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
98 Hark the Glad Sound! The Saviour Comes (all)
Let us pray,
Heavenly Father, who chose the Virgin Mary, full of grace, to be the mother of our Lord and Saviour, now fill us with your grace, that we in all things may embrace your will and with her rejoice in your salvation; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
First Reading: Romans 1:1-7
Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures, the gospel concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for the sake of his name, including yourselves who are called to belong to Jesus Christ, To all God's beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
For the Word of God in scripture, among us and with us.
Thanks be to God.
Hear, O Shepherd of Israel, leading Joseph like a flock; shine forth, you that are enthroned upon the cherubim. In the presence of Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, stir up your strength and come to help us. Restore us, O God of hosts; show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.
Show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.
O Lord God of hosts, how long will you be angered despite the prayers of your people? You have fed them with the bread of tears; you have given them bowls of tears to drink.
Show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.
You have made us the derision of our neighbours, and our enemies laugh us to scorn. Restore us, O God of hosts; show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.
Show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.
Let your hand be upon the man of your right hand, the son of man you have made so strong for yourself. And so will we never turn away from you; give us life, that we may call upon your name. Restore us, O Lord God of hosts; show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.
Show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.
And also with you.
The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew.
Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." All this took place to fulfil what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: "Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel," which means, "God is with us." When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.
The Gospel of Christ.
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
In this Season of Advent, we pray for ourselves and the world, placing before you our hope, confident in your peace, mindful of your joy, basking in your love, saying, hear our prayer.
We pray that you will establish among the nations your rule of righteousness, come to the world and the church with peace. We pray for Shane our Primate, Sandra our Bishop. We pray for an end to racial discrimination, an end to gender-based violence, and for truth and reconciliation with Indigenous people. God of love:
We pray that we may seek Christ in holy scriptures, know him in the breaking of bread, and recognize him in one another. Break into our lives, where we struggle with sickness and pain, and set us free to serve you forever. God of love:
We pray that all of us know that we are worthy of love and care and that no one deserves to live in fear or violence. May we work to dismantle the systems of power, control, and oppression that teach that some are worth less because of gender, race, age, or ability. May all people live with dignity. God of love:
Hear our prayer.
We strive for justice and peace. We give thanks for first responders and shelter workers and counsellors; for doctors, nurses, and healthcare workers; for employees in the justice system; and for faith leaders and others, that they will be nurtured in their communities and that they will be kept well and safe. God of love:
Hear our prayer.
We pray for those in any distress from floods, drought, fire, earthquakes and war. We pray for those in need as we approach the Christmas season, especially for our outreach efforts. God of love:
We pray that you will bind up the broken-hearted and restore the sick. We pray for those we know who are ill at home or in the hospital, remembering especially…
… and others we may name out loud, or in our hearts…
-
God of love:
Hear our prayer.
We remember those who have died in your peace and whose faith is known to you alone, especially…
-
…and be with and strengthen those who mourn that, with all the saints in light, we may shine forth as lights for the world, God of love:
Almighty God, as your blessed Son Jesus Christ first came to seek and to save the lost; so may he come again to find in us the completion of his redeeming work; for he is now alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen.
The peace of the Lord be always with you.
And also with you.
The Prayer over the Gifts
Let us pray,
Gracious God, by the power of the Spirit who sanctified the mother of your Son, make holy all we offer you this day. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen.
and also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give thanks and praise.
Holy, holy, holy Lord,
God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
do this in remembrance of me.
Christ has died:
Christ is risen:
Christ will come again.
Blessing and honour and glory and power
be yours for ever and ever. Amen.
As our Saviour taught us, let us pray,
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial, and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and for ever. Amen.
God of promise,
you prepare a banquet for us in your kingdom.
Happy are those who are called
to the supper of the Lamb.
The gifts of God for the People of God.
Thanks be to God.
Lamb of God you take away the sin of the world
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God you take away the sin of the world
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God you take away the sin of the world
grant us your peace.
PB 43 Commune With Me
PB 227 Such Love
PB 227 Such Love (vs. 2)
Let us pray,
Faithful God, in this sacrament we receive the promise of salvation. May we, like the Virgin Mary, be obedient to your will. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen.
Glory to God,
whose power, working in us,
can do infinitely more
than we can ask or imagine.
Glory to God from generation to generation,
in the Church and in Christ Jesus,
for ever and ever. Amen.
Be steadfast in faith, joyful in hope,
and untiring in love all the days of your life;
and the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among you and remain with you always. Amen.
Go forth into the world,
rejoicing in the Love of God the Creator.
Thanks be to God.
